Containers are used for storing various objects, for example foods and beverages, toys, files and other documents, and sporting equipment. Some containers designed for storing foods and beverages are thermally insulated, as many foods and beverages are best when consumed at a certain temperature. These types of containers are commonly known as coolers. Storing foods and beverages in a cooler allows traveling, for example driving with the cooler in a vehicle to a beach or a tailgate party, while maintaining the foods and beverages at a substantially constant temperature.
One type of conventional cooler is a rigid insulated box. This type of cooler occupies the same amount of space whether in use or not in use. As a result, a cooler of this type is cumbersome to store when not in use. Another type of conventional cooler is collapsible in order to occupy a smaller volume when not in use than when in use for storage purposes. However, this type of cooler has flexible side walls that do not offer much protection in the event the collapsible cooler is dropped or struck by an object, for example.